Captain Addison MacKenzie - Representation
Addison MacKenzie
(( Captain’s Ready Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis-A ))
Addison sat perched behind her desk
when the door chime rang. Normally, an officer’s first act when coming aboard
the Artemis is to report directly to the captain and hand over their duty
assignment orders. For Ensign Gnai, however, it had been dropped into the middle
of the Dominion War in an alternate timeline, which also included imprisonment.
Now that the danger was officially past, the opportunity existed to welcome it
aboard.
When the Galadoran science officer made its way through the door, she offered a
soft smile, folding her hands on the smooth desktop.
MacKenzie: Ensign Gnai, thank you for coming. ::gesturing:: Would you
please have a seat?
Gnai: Thank you, sir. ::sitting down:: And thank you for this
meeting.
Addison unclasped her hands and sat back in her chair.
MacKenzie: I haven’t had the opportunity to officially welcome you
aboard the Artemis. Somehow, being imprisoned together in a
Betazoid penal colony doesn’t exactly scream “welcome…”
Gnai: No... it does not.
Gnai bobbed along the top of its tank, lights trailing
down its body and at times illuminating its meal inside its bell.
Addison cocked her head and offered a slight smirk
and look of resignation.
MacKenzie: But, I would say that the experience does seem to be
indicative of how things go occasionally aboard this ship… I’m pleased to say
that I thought you handled yourself very well despite it being a very trying
time.
Gnai: Thank you, sir! The mission was as you said... trying.
And deeply unexpected.
Addison listened to the Galadoran’s relatively monotone voice amplified through
its suit’s speakers. She tried to detect any hint of emotion, but perhaps its
vocalizer wasn’t capable of projecting emotion. …or perhaps Galadoran’s didn’t
have them? She’d have to do more homework…
There was absolutely no sense in continuing to dwell on the mission that was
now behind them. The officer was here, and its presence afforded her the
opportunity to get to know it beyond what was simply stated on its service
record.
MacKenzie: So, Ensign, tell me about what prompted you to join
Starfleet.
Gnai's bobbing grew slightly more pronounced as
it started to speak, its tendrils flickering with the movement. Its projected
voice was still relatively monotone, and Addison realized she would need to rely
often on visual cues to interpret its emotions.
Gnai: Of course, sir. Starfleet offered a chance
to explore, past just Galador II. There's so much out in the galaxy to see, and
without a ship or resources to fund personal study, a Starfleet commission
seemed necessary to get the chance to experience it all.
MacKenzie: I have to confess, I know very little about the Galadorans
and have never met one before until your arrival. Were you always interested in
exploration? (beat) Judging by your suit, I assume you were determined to find
a way to make exploration beyond your world a reality…
Gnai: This ::gestures to itself:: was always
interested in the stars as a youth. There was another that had gone and
explored with humanoids. That one came back to share the knowledge and be a
mentor. ::another gesture to itself, this time, gesturing more to the suit it
wore:: The suit was a collaboration with this mentor.
Addison smiled and nodded slowly in appreciation.
MacKenzie: And what of your interest in science? Do you
have a particular specialty?
Gnai: At the Academy, the focus was primarily on
astrophysics. And some basics of engineering, for the suit. ::pause:: Is this
what you wanted to know?
She rocked her head back and forth, her smile
replaced by a small smirk. The red-headed CO was often fond of asking vague and
open-ended questions. Oftentimes, she was just as interested in the way someone
chose to respond to them as she was in the actual content of the response.
MacKenzie: I suppose so… I was more or less just
wondering how you got to be where you are. There are many things I find about
your interest and determination in joining Starfleet that I find intriguing.
Was there anything in particular that influenced your study of astrometrics?
Gnai: Response
She smiled and leaned forward, once again resting her arms on the surface of
her desk.
MacKenzie: Now we’re getting somewhere! I’m curious if you’ve ever
thought about what your service signifies. To others of your kind, I mean. Your
mentor obviously had a strong influence on you… Has it ever occurred to you
about what you might represent for others on your world?
Gnai: Response
Tag, and TBC!
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Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A
Captains Council Member at Large
V239601AM0